Abdominal pain and poisoning are two of the most frightening injuries your child can suffer, especially if the result of someone else's negligence. These are medical emergencies that can affect your child's organs or lead to death, and only an examination by your child's doctor can determine the extent of your child's injuries.
If your child sustained an abdominal injury or was poisoned, contact experienced child injury attorney Woods Williford today at (888) 340-2440 for a free case consultation.
Abdominal Pain
Your child may suffer from abdominal pain for a variety of reasons, but pain following trauma to the abdomen can indicate a very serious injury. Babies and toddlers may cry and draw their legs towards their abdomens, indicating abdominal pain, but older children may be able to verbally describe the severity and location of their pain.
Blunt force trauma can cause your child's internal organs to rupture or the abdominal wall to bleed. Due to a child's small size, blunt force trauma to the abdomen may cover a large area of the body and affect several organs, making this a much more serious injury in children than in adults. These injuries can lead to permanent disability and even death in the most serious cases.
The most common causes of blunt force trauma to the abdomen are:
- motor vehicle accidents,
- falls from heights,
- bicycle handlebars,
- contact sports, and
- child abuse.
Call 911 or contact your child's doctor immediately if your child has blunt force trauma to the abdomen.
Penetrating abdominal injuries occur when a sharp object breaks through the skin into the abdominal wall, such as a:
- projectile,
- bullet, or
- knife.
If the injury goes into the abdominal cavity, your child is at greater risk of infection or organ damage. This is always a life-threatening emergency, and you need to call 911 immediately. Your child is at risk of going into shock.
Poisoning
Every day, 300 children are treated in emergency rooms for poisoning, and two children die. Some children are left unsupervised long enough to ingest a poisonous substance, while others are inadvertently poisoned when they are given the incorrect dosage of an over-the-counter or prescription medication. More than half of all reported poisonings happen to children under age 5 due to their active, curious nature. Substance or medication poisoning can affect your child's central nervous system, heart, lungs, or kidneys.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is another risk your child may face in households with natural gas, propane-burning appliances, or wood-burning fireplaces that are not properly vented or kept in good working order. Exposure to this colorless, odorless gas can cause heart damage, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, and death.
If your child has been poisoned, call 911 immediately.
Contact a California Child Abdominal Pain and Poisoning Attorney
If your child sustained an abdominal injury or was poisoned in California, contact Woods Williford, P.C. for compassionate legal representation.
Our experienced team understands how frightening this is for you and your child, and we fight for just compensation for your child's injuries. Call us today at (888) 340-2440 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.